Lovely daughter... cute grand kids, Bob.
My favorite by far is the third image: partly because of your daughter's look at her child, and partly because of your grand daughter's smile at you.
IMO, all the other kid smiles look too "posed."
Charlie

Just to clarify, Bob: the kid's SMILES look too posed to me.
As if they had been told to "smile for the camera" way too often. That's when young children often get that phony, forced smile.
In the third image, however, your grand-daughter is smiling at you because she wanted to- it was HER idea.
And that's what makes ALL the difference imo.
Examples: I'm smiling at you because I WANT to Bob. Now I'm giving you a big smile because I want to. And now I'm laughing out loud because... Oh, you get the idea.
Charlie

Charlie Shugart wrote:
Just to clarify, Bob: the kid's SMILES look too posed to me.
As if they had been told to "smile for the camera" way too often. That's when young children often get that phony, forced smile.
In the third image, however, your grand-daughter is smiling at you because she wanted to- it was HER idea.
And that's what makes ALL the difference imo.
Examples: I'm smiling at you because I WANT to Bob. Now I'm giving you a big smile because I want to. And now I'm laughing out loud because... Oh, you get the idea.
Charlie
I get it

Abby is, unknowingly, mirroring her great-grandmother's gawd-awful grimace which makes her next to impossible to photograph with a natural, pleasant smile - a triggered response to camera stimuli. 'bout given up on that one.

Abby is, unknowingly, mirroring her great-grandmother's gawd-awful grimace which makes her next to impossible to photograph with a natural, pleasant smile - a triggered response to camera stimuli. 'bout given up on that one.

thanks,

Bob

Bob- why not:
Put the camera on a tripod, preset everything, turn on the motor drive, use a remote triggering device.
Then tell Abby to frown- that should get a smile from her.
Shoot a burst until the smile goes away.
If she doesn't smile, tell her to make a sound like a cat... a dog... a cow... a pig... an elephant.
Tell her to make a face like a fish.
To hold her breath until she explodes.
An infinity of etceteras .
Do the same with your grandson.
Then have a tea party . (crumpets optional)
Charlie

Charlie Shugart wrote:
Bob- why not:
Put the camera on a tripod, preset everything, turn on the motor drive, use a remote triggering device.
Then tell Abby to frown- that should get a smile from her.
Shoot a burst until the smile goes away.
If she doesn't smile, tell her to make a sound like a cat... a dog... a cow... a pig... an elephant.
Tell her to make a face like a fish.
To hold her breath until she explodes.
An infinity of etceteras .
Do the same with your grandson.
Then have a tea party . (crumpets optional)
Charlie

lazlo369 wrote:
What a beautiful family you have Bob.
I like Charlie's advice, it should work.
I will try it one day as well.

Thank you for the kind compliments Lazlo.

They have had a camera lens in their faces since the day each was born (as some FM regulars well know). Couple of more days remain in their visit, I'll seek more natural ops for captures and stand-off with telephotos, these were all at 50mm or less.